Trump Shares Video Depicting Obamas as Apes, Igniting Sharp Backlash
In a series of late-night posts that have once again pushed the boundaries of political discourse, President Donald J. Trump shared a video on Truth Social depicting former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes. The post, shared late Thursday night, has drawn swift condemnation from across the political spectrum, though the White House was quick to dismiss the mounting criticism as nothing more than partisan theater.
A ‘King of the Jungle’ Narrative
The footage, which was part of a longer montage promoting various election conspiracy theories, features a clip of the Obamas edited to appear as primates. The segment is set to the tune of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and is part of a broader "King of the Jungle" meme.
In the full version of the video, other prominent Democrats—including former President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris—are depicted as zebras, while Mr. Trump is portrayed as a lion. The video concludes with the other animals bowing in submission to the lion.
Historical Tropes and Public Outcry
While the White House argues the video is a harmless internet meme, historians and civil rights advocates point to a much darker context. The comparison of Black Americans to apes is widely regarded as one of the oldest and most profoundly racist slanders in U.S. history.
“This isn't just a meme; it’s a calculated use of dehumanizing imagery,” said one historian familiar with the era of Jim Crow. Critics argue that such depictions were historically used to justify violence and systemic oppression by stripping individuals of their humanity.
The backlash was not limited to the Democratic party. Senator Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican, described the post as "the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House," urging the President to remove it immediately. Meanwhile, former Obama administration official Ben Rhodes took to social media to call the President a “stain” on the nation's history, predicting that the public would eventually reject such rhetoric.
The White House Response
Despite the firestorm, the Trump administration has remained defiant. In a statement released Friday morning, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt characterized the reaction as “fake outrage” from a media and political establishment looking for reasons to complain.
“This is an internet meme depicting the President as a leader and his opponents as characters in a satirical setting,” Leavitt said. When asked by reporters if the President intended to apologize or take the video down, Leavitt declined to comment further.
A Pattern of Provocation
The video is just one of more than 60 posts shared by the President in a single night. Other posts included calls to add his face to Mount Rushmore and continued claims regarding the 2020 election.
As the 2026 midterm cycle begins to take shape, this latest controversy suggests that the President has no intention of pivoting toward a more traditional or reserved communication style. Instead, he seems intent on leaning into the same combative and highly polarized digital strategy that defined his previous campaigns.
0 Comments
Please do not enter any spam link in the comment box.